Masturbation creating flares...?

[Mena]

Re: Masturbation creating flares...?

Hey all, it's me again almost 10 years later. I got married, then had a child in 2008, and here I am it's 2016 and I still have the same symptoms. Just before my period my bladder goes into hyper sensitive mode and I have to pee all the time. The past year on and off I have also had instances where I lose a few drops of urine as well during this time and it resolves in a cyclical manner. It all goes with my hormones. Before the period is the worst, it's like a special window just for flares. I am also really aroused at this time of the month so sex could just be a double whammy. Hubby and I have abstained from sex sometimes solely because I just don't want to deal with bladder problems and at least he's very understanding about it but it's a huge problem because we both want to have sex and this is getting in the way. But how to do it when you are terrified of the possible painful consequences that go on day after day afterwards? Seems an awful punishment for having a short period of pleasure. Most of the time I just don't feel it is worth the trouble.

My gyno gave me Cipro to take before sex to avoid UTI's but that's not going to do anything for the irritation because that part is not an infection. But how to masturbate or have any sexual contact without upsetting the status quo downstairs?

One urologist I went to (oh yeah I had another scope thing done some years back as well) thought I should go to a pelvic floor therapy person but at the time I didn't have insurance so I never pursued it. Has anyone done that and has it helped at all?

I also have a mild cystocele now and mild prolapse of the uterus to add to the matter.

How has life been treating all of you?

[deviation72]

I don't mean to necro bump but since I am new I wanted to add that its logical that after masturbation you would want to urinate more often. Think about it. I dont mean to be graphic but you're stretching, grasping and chocking your penis and the urethra and when orgasm you make it even more tighter putting more pressure onto it for pleasure and what not. Urinating after orgasm is supposed to clean out the urethra afaic.

Good to have the male perspective here. I am the original poster and I'm female, and most of us were talking from a female perspective. Of course the mechanics of our bits work differently but we clearly all share the same experience of this flaring up our IC

[Noibe]

I don't mean to necro bump but since I am new I wanted to add that its logical that after masturbation you would want to urinate more often. Think about it. I dont mean to be graphic but you're stretching, grasping and chocking your penis and the urethra and when orgasm you make it even more tighter putting more pressure onto it for pleasure and what not. Urinating after orgasm is supposed to clean out the urethra afaic.

Me, my masturbation makes me want to urinate all the time after I am done and it was even like that before I was diagnosed with IC. Now, being diagnosed with IC, which I still laugh at till this day, its a powerful combination of hurt for a mere quick orgasm which doesnt even seem worth it doesn it? Sadly we all get sexual tension that needs to be fulfilled by any means so ;/

Don't worry you're not the only one on this one but it sucks being us. *shakes fist*

[ophelia33]

me too!

I'm also joining WSH. Thanks Rhonda. I have IC and endo and don't know which one is the problem, but I have pelvic pain after masturbation. I just avoid it now. Yes, this does stink.

hugs,
Ophelia

[Bekah79]

I am in the same boat with you girls. Sex is becoming miserable for me lately. I agree with you about he doctors not knowiing enough about this disaese. My husband and I are a difficult time finding a position that doesn't casue me to flare.

I'm surprised to read that Doc's don't put this together. An orgasm is essentially a spasm of internal organs. Why wouldn't they think that it 'wouldn't' cause pain and flares afterward? It seems that we know more about this disease than they do at times. What really sux is that I haven't even had sex in approx 6 months because I'm afraid to. Somethings gotta give on this deal. My husband is as understanding as it gets but come on, sex is pretty important in our life and we shouldn't have to give it up or pay for a week afterwards. I've tried different positions and came to the conclusion that it's the actual orgasm that is causing the spasms which is really what a flare is.

[IrritatedByIC]

Hey, maybe taking an muscle relaxer after (or right before) any type of sex, including masturbation can help + a pain med right after or before. It is much easier to PREVENT pain if you know sex is a trigger , than after it already started.
Other alternatives are piridyum, prosed, etc, but those you have to take a few hrs before to give it time to get to the bladder.

I find it better for me to have sex during the day so that I can flush antyhing to avoid an infection by peeing a lot, drink lost of water, laying in the couch and watch a movie or take a pain med and muscle relaxer + prosed (a whole project)
Hugs,
SMR

Thanks, those are great ideas!!

Yeah, my partner works during the day, but maybe early evening or I can do it during the day by myself, LOL!

Hugs!

[Angeles]

Hey, maybe taking an muscle relaxer after (or right before) any type of sex, including masturbation can help + a pain med right after or before. It is much easier to PREVENT pain if you know sex is a trigger , than after it already started.
Other alternatives are piridyum, prosed, etc, but those you have to take a few hrs before to give it time to get to the bladder.

I find it better for me to have sex during the day so that I can flush antyhing to avoid an infection by peeing a lot, drink lost of water, laying in the couch and watch a movie or take a pain med and muscle relaxer + prosed (a whole project)
Hugs,
SMR

[IrritatedByIC]

I agree that ibuprofen can be irritating, so do be careful if you try it. For me, and I've been officially diagnosed with IC, it's one of the only things that works, and I've tried a lot of things....

Also be careful of pineapple or pineapple juice - the acid in it can be irritating if you have IC. Pineapple is my favourite fruit and I haven't been able to eat it or drink p/apple juice in nearly 5 years One taste is a guaranteed flare....

IrritatedbyIC, have you tried the elimination diet yet? I found that eliminating most citrus and other acidic foods made a huge difference.

Yeah, I can't take it anyway because of having asthma. Oh I didn't think about the acidic pineapple juice! *smacks forehead* I'll look up another food that's anti-inflammatory.

No, I haven't tried the elimination diet yet. I'll have to look it up. Yeah, I'm sure. I did hear though that Cranberry juice is bad for IC'ers. So I've stopped drinking that. I'm going to look at the diet today.

Thanks, again.

[IrritatedByIC]

But when I used to flare bad I always had a Vicodin handy. If anything it will give you some temporary relief. I can relate to your agony. I'm a man, but have experienced it in my own way. It's enough to make you jump through a window. I hope things have settled down a bit. What has worked wonders for me is taking the Desert Harvest aloe verde pills. I take them religiously every day and I haven't had a bad flare in over a month. However, I still have to be careful about eating certain things like O.J. and nuts. Things will get better. You are in our prayers.

I wish I could take Vicodin but I'm allergic to that. I do have an alternative - Bach's Rescue Remedy - Flower Essence. Yeah, it really does want to make you jump through a window! They have settled down, thanks. I haven't heard of those aloe verde pills. I'll look into that. Thanks. Yeah. Thanks for the prayers.

[IrritatedByIC]

Just as a side note, some IC patients find ibuprofen to be VERY irratating to their bladder. I can take it if I take prelief with it but one time I forgot to take the prelief and my bladder freaked out on me, so be careful.

Yeah, I can't take it anyway because of having asthma. What's prelief? I keep hearing about it.

[deviation72]

I agree that ibuprofen can be irritating, so do be careful if you try it. For me, and I've been officially diagnosed with IC, it's one of the only things that works, and I've tried a lot of things....

Also be careful of pineapple or pineapple juice - the acid in it can be irritating if you have IC. Pineapple is my favourite fruit and I haven't been able to eat it or drink p/apple juice in nearly 5 years One taste is a guaranteed flare....

IrritatedbyIC, have you tried the elimination diet yet? I found that eliminating most citrus and other acidic foods made a huge difference.

[strobers]

I abhore medication

OMG, I am in tears. I have never had a flare this bad, in my life. My partner and I had sex at 10:30, we stopped, I peed at 11:30 and then we did a little bit more before we went to sleep at 12:30. I woke up at 2:30, having to go to the bathroom *SO* bad. Then, I woke up again at 4:45, and I had cramps, back pain, etc *SO* bad. I haven't been able to sleep since. I am so frustrated, tired and in *WICKED* pain. I've never experienced this pain ever. I'm overwhelmed.

Please if anyone can give me some symptom relief, please write me. I am not on any IC meds yet.

But when I used to flare bad I always had a Vicodin handy. If anything it will give you some temporary relief. I can relate to your agony. I'm a man, but have experienced it in my own way. It's enough to make you jump through a window. I hope things have settled down a bit. What has worked wonders for me is taking the Desert Harvest aloe verde pills. I take them religiously every day and I haven't had a bad flare in over a month. However, I still have to be careful about eating certain things like O.J. and nuts. Things will get better. You are in our prayers.

[GriffsMommy]

Just as a side note, some IC patients find ibuprofen to be VERY irratating to their bladder. I can take it if I take prelief with it but one time I forgot to take the prelief and my bladder freaked out on me, so be careful.

[IrritatedByIC]

Hi Kirsten,

I haven't tried that yet. Thanks for the suggestion! I also use healing foods - i.e. - Parsley tea (which is proven to prevent UTI's), pineapple/pineapple juice (which is proven to reduce inflammation). And of course, water.

Thanks for replying!